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Kadio K, Filippi V, Congo M, Scorgie F, Roos N, Lusambili A, Nakstad B, Kovats S, Kouanda S. Extreme heat, pregnancy and women's well-being in Burkina Faso: an ethnographical study. BMJ Glob Health 2024; 8:e014230. [PMID: 38382997 PMCID: PMC10897842 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change is an increasing threat to the health of populations in Africa, with a shift in seasonal temperatures towards more extreme heat exposures. In Burkina Faso, like other countries in the Sahel, many women have little protection against exposure to high temperatures, either outside or inside the home or place of work. This paper investigates how women perceive the impacts of heat on their physical and mental health, in addition to their social relationships and economic activities. Qualitative methods (in-depth interviews and focus group discussions) were conducted with women, community representatives and healthcare professionals in two regions in Burkina Faso. A thematic analysis was used to explore the realities of participants' experiences and contextual perspectives in relation to heat. Our research shows extreme temperatures have a multifaceted impact on pregnant women, mothers and newborns. Extreme heat affects women's functionality and well-being. Heat undermines a woman's ability to care for themselves and their child and interferes negatively with breast feeding. Heat negatively affects their ability to work and to maintain harmonious relationships with their partners and families. Cultural practices such as a taboo on taking the baby outside before the 40th day may exacerbate some of the negative consequences of heat. Most women do not recognise heat stress symptoms and lack awareness of heat risks to health. There is a need to develop public health messages to reduce the impacts of heat on health in Burkina Faso. Programmes and policies are needed to strengthen the ability of health professionals to communicate with women about best practices in heat risk management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kadidiatou Kadio
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique et technologique (CNRST), Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Ouagadougou, Centre, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Mariam Congo
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique et technologique (CNRST), Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Ouagadougou, Centre, Burkina Faso
| | - Fiona Scorgie
- Wits Reproductive Health Institute (WRHI), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Nathalie Roos
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Britt Nakstad
- University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Sari Kovats
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Seni Kouanda
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique et technologique (CNRST), Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Ouagadougou, Centre, Burkina Faso
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Cerceo E, Saxer K, Grossman L, Shapley-Quinn K, Feldman-Winter L. The Climate Crisis and Breastfeeding: Opportunities for Resilience. J Hum Lact 2024; 40:33-50. [PMID: 38158719 DOI: 10.1177/08903344231216726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The climate crisis is an emerging global challenge that poses potential risks to breastfeeding practices and outcomes. There are multifaceted effects of climate change affecting the breastfeeding dyad across environmental, societal, and human health dimensions. Breastfeeding support in the face of climate change will require solutions at the structural level-healthcare, community, and workplace settings-and at the mother-infant dyad level. Breastfeeding can additionally be an adaptive response to crisis situations and can mitigate some of the environmental challenges associated with climate change. Despite the undeniable significance of climate change on breastfeeding (and vice versa), our perspective as experts in the field is that this topic has not been systematically addressed. Although we highlight some of the challenges, potential solutions, and co-benefits of breastfeeding in the context of climate change, there are numerous issues that could be further explored and necessitate additional preparedness planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Cerceo
- Cooper University Healthcare, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ, USA
| | | | - Lauren Grossman
- General Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - Lori Feldman-Winter
- Cooper University Healthcare, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ, USA
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Lusambili A, Kovats S, Nakstad B, Filippi V, Khaemba P, Roos N, Part C, Luchters S, Chersich M, Hess J, Kadio K, Scorgie F. Too hot to thrive: a qualitative inquiry of community perspectives on the effect of high ambient temperature on postpartum women and neonates in Kilifi, Kenya. BMC Pediatr 2024; 24:36. [PMID: 38216969 PMCID: PMC10787431 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-023-04517-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To understand community perspectives on the effects of high ambient temperature on the health and wellbeing of neonates, and impacts on post-partum women and infant care in Kilifi. DESIGN Qualitative study using key informant interviews, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with pregnant and postpartum women (n = 22), mothers-in-law (n = 19), male spouses (n = 20), community health volunteers (CHVs) (n = 22) and stakeholders from health and government ministries (n = 16). SETTINGS We conducted our research in Kilifi County in Kenya's Coast Province. The area is largely rural and during summer, air temperatures can reach 37˚C and rarely go below 23˚C. DATA ANALYSIS Data were analyzed in NVivo 12, using both inductive and deductive approaches. RESULTS High ambient temperature is perceived by community members to have direct and indirect health pathways in pregnancy and postpartum periods, including on the neonates. The direct impacts include injuries on the neonate's skin and in the mouth, leading to discomfort and affecting breastfeeding and sleeping. Participants described babies as "having no peace". Heat effects were perceived to be amplified by indoor air pollution and heat from indoor cooking fires. Community members believed that exclusive breastfeeding was not practical in conditions of extreme heat because it lowered breast milk production, which was, in turn, linked to a low scarcity of food and time spend by mothers away from their neonates performing household chores. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) was also negatively affected. Participants reported that postpartum women took longer to heal in the heat, were exhausted most of the time and tended not to attend postnatal care. CONCLUSIONS High ambient temperatures affect postpartum women and their neonates through direct and indirect pathways. Discomfort makes it difficult for the mother to care for the baby. Multi-sectoral policies and programs are required to mitigate the negative impacts of high ambient temperatures on maternal and neonatal health in rural Kilifi and similar settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelaide Lusambili
- Environmental Health and Governance Center, Leadership and Governance Hub, School of Business, Africa International University, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Sari Kovats
- Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Britt Nakstad
- Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Veronique Filippi
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Peter Khaemba
- Institute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Nathalie Roos
- Department of Medicine, Clinical Epidemiology Division, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cherie Part
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Stanley Luchters
- Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), Liverpool, UK
| | - Matthew Chersich
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jeremy Hess
- Emergency Medicine, Env & Occ Health Sciences, and Global Health, University of Washington, Washington, USA
| | - Kadidiatou Kadio
- Institute de Recherche en Siences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Fiona Scorgie
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Lusambili A, Khaemba P, Agoi F, Oguna M, Nakstad B, Scorgie F, Filippi V, Hess J, Roos N, Chersich M, Kovats S, Luchters S. Process and outputs from a community codesign workshop on reducing impact of heat exposure on pregnant and postpartum women and newborns in Kilifi, Kenya. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1146048. [PMID: 37719738 PMCID: PMC10501312 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1146048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Ambient heat exposure is increasing due to climate change and is known to affect the health of pregnant and postpartum women, and their newborns. Evidence for the effectiveness of interventions to prevent heat health outcomes in east Africa is limited. Codesigning and integrating local-indigenous and conventional knowledge is essential to develop effective adaptation to climate change. Methods Following qualitative research on heat impacts in a community in Kilifi, Kenya, we conducted a two-day codesign workshop to inform a set of interventions to reduce the impact of heat exposure on maternal and neonatal health. Participants were drawn from a diverse group of purposively selected influencers, implementers, policy makers, service providers and community members. The key domains of focus for the discussion were: behavioral practices, health facilities and health system factors, home environment, water scarcity, and education and awareness. Following the discussions and group reflections, data was transcribed, coded and emerging intervention priorities ranked based on the likelihood of success, cost effectiveness, implementation feasibility, and sustainability. Results Twenty one participants participated in the codesign discussions. Accessibility to water supplies, social behavior-change campaigns, and education were ranked as the top three most sustainable and effective interventions with the highest likelihood of success. Prior planning and contextualizing local set-up, cross-cultural and religious practices and budget considerations are important in increasing the chances of a successful outcome in codesign. Conclusion Codesign of interventions on heat exposure with diverse groups of participants is feasible to identify and prioritize adaptation interventions. The codesign workshop was used as an opportunity to build capacity among facilitators and participants as well as to explore interventions to address the impact of heat exposure on pregnant and postpartum women, and newborns. We successfully used the codesign model in co-creating contextualized socio-culturally acceptable interventions to reduce the risk of heat on maternal and neonatal health in the context of climate change. Our interventions can be replicated in other similar areas of Africa and serve as a model for co-designing heat-health adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelaide Lusambili
- Environmental Health and Governance Center, Leadership and Governance HUB - School of Business, Africa International University, Nairobi, Kenya
- Institute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Peter Khaemba
- Institute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Felix Agoi
- Institute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Martha Oguna
- Institute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
- Emergency Medicine, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Britt Nakstad
- Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Health, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Fiona Scorgie
- Wits Reproductive Health Institute (WRHI), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Veronique Filippi
- MARCH, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy Hess
- Emergency Medicine, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Nathalie Roos
- Department of Medicine, Clinical Epidemiology Division, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mathew Chersich
- Wits Reproductive Health Institute (WRHI), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Sari Kovats
- MARCH, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stanley Luchters
- Institute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
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